Who contains Mijaín López? Neither his age, nor the strong blows of life, nor the Iranian, nor the Romanian, nor the Turkish Rysa Kayaalp himself have been able to dethrone the Horseshoe Giant on the mats, who announced this year that he will seek his fifth Olympic crown in the edition of Paris 2024.
The World Wrestling Union (UWW) echoed the declaration of the Cuban multi-time champion through its page on the social network Facebook, in which it highlights that it would be an absolute record for this sport.
“I’m fighting again at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. I want to become the first wrestler to win five Olympic gold medals,” López told UWW.
No male gladiator has achieved what Mijaín under the five rings: four crowns, and even less in a row, from Beijing 2008 to Tokyo 2020. However, the UWW always warns that the Pinar del Río tied with the Japanese Kaori Icho, who achieved such a feat before. in feminine style.
Mijaín will turn 42 years old in August 2024. Many experts claim that age will be his main rival. However, after Tokyo 2020, the Cuban idol has dedicated himself to active rest and training, reserving himself as a “fine rooster” for a competition in the cycle: Paris 2024.
“My dream right now is the fifth Olympic gold, I would feel very proud to achieve that result that until today no one has been able to achieve in the world,” López told Prensa Latina.
“It is a challenge that requires a lot of sacrifice and great preparation, but I feel very good, I think I can achieve it, we just have to wait and do things well,” he added.
Mijaín is an example of the profound transformations made after the triumph of the Revolution on January 1, 1959. In the entire first half of the 20th century, apart from the Fonst medals, only one more silver was won, in London 1948.
When sport was declared a right of the people and the necessary talent and resources were put into place to develop it, the results came immediately.
Since winning the Tokyo 2020 Games, Mijaín took a break without training, necessary due to the number of years he has had a sports career.
Now he is focused on slow preparation, so that his body adapts and is prepared to return to the mats of Greco-Roman wrestling with the competitive level to which we are accustomed.
The road to Paris 2024 is full of unknowns for Mijaín. Whether or not he gets his fifth Olympic award, his name is already inscribed in golden letters at the top of Olympicism. Cuba is prestigious with its greatness.
